title: Virtual training and coaching of health behavior: example from mindfulness meditation training.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Computer-based virtual coaches are increasingly being explored for patient education, counseling, and health behavior training and coaching. The objective of this research was to develop and evaluate a Virtual Mindfulness Coach for training and coaching in mindfulness meditation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The coach was implemented as an embodied conversational character, providing mindfulness training and coaching via mixed initiative, text-based, natural language dialog with the student, and emphasizing affect-adaptive interaction. (The term 'mixed initiative dialog' refers to a human-machine dialog where either can initiate a conversation or a change in the conversation topic.)
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings from a pilot evaluation study indicate that the coach-based training is more effective in helping students establish a regular practice than self-administered training using written and audio materials. The coached group also appeared to be in more advanced stages of change in terms of the transtheoretical model, and have a higher sense of self-efficacy regarding establishment of a regular mindfulness practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that virtual coach-based training of mindfulness is both feasible, and potentially more effective, than a self-administered program. Of particular interest is the identification of the specific coach features that contribute to its effectiveness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Virtual coaches could provide easily accessible and cost-effective customized training for a range of health behaviors. The affect-adaptive aspect of these coaches is particularly relevant for helping patients establish long-term behavior changes.
authors.affiliation: Psychometrix Associates, Inc., Blacksburg, VA 24060, USA. hudlicka@ieee.org
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hudlicka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation; D026441:Mind-Body Therapies / Q000379:methods; D064866:Mindfulness / Q000193:education*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012648:Self Care; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Adaptive coaching; Adaptive training; Affective adaptation; Embodied conversational agents; Health behavior coaching; Mindfulness; Virtual coaches